Gamespot Reviewer Fired after Poor Review for Sponsor's Game

[epmode]

So this was posted early on Penny Arcade:



referencing this review (which has since been edited by Gamespot, I don't have the original text): http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/acti...summary;review

Then the internet (well, GAF and the penny-arcade forum) kind of exploded. Gabe confirmed that this is true. I guess there's going to be more about it in tomorrow's Penny Arcade blog thing but several journalist types are also informally confirming the news.

Pretty crazy.

So is anyone surprised?

[Yoshi]

GameSpot, not GameStop in the title...

This is ridiculous but not surprising. After big publishers censor reviews by saying that before a certain date only 8+ or 9+ reviews can be posted, this is the next step in the progression.

[kedawa]

No, I'm not surprised. And LOL at anyone who takes game reviews and the media outlets that crap them out seriously to begin with.

[James]

Gamespot is run more by ad revenue than honest opinion and passion? *shock!*

I'll read the Gamespot defense of this with interest, because I need the comedy. I don't expect it to go very well for them.

James

[Finch]

What, that it happened or the internet exploded? I wish this would happen more often. That way Twilight Princess would've gotten a 5 and everyone would realize that a Zelda more like a Zelda doesn't make a good Zelda anymore.

[Hero]

This sucks, but makes me think more about the underpinnings of game review sites and how they generate revenue. Ultimately if the readership is unwilling to pay for content (TEH INTERNETS R FREE!!!!11!!), how else does a site make money? They pander to publishers, have them "sponsor" the place with a flavor of the month, and when a game site falls out of line...?

So the real dilemma is not that someone at Gamespot got fired (it sucks though) but how do you fix a broken, corrupt system? Game sites have to make money, and no one is willing to pay for it except advertisers, so of course they can have a site wrapped around their finger.

[MarkRyan]

I'll be pretty shocked if it comes out from an undeniable source that he was canned for giving a poor review to an advertiser's game. I'm sure he's given poor reviews to plenty of games that were advertised on GameSpot in the many years he's been there.

I wouldn't, however, be too surprised if he left of his own volition due to pressures over the review and the sponsor, which really isn't much better but I guess kinda is.

After big publishers censor reviews by saying that before a certain date only 8+ or 9+ reviews can be posted, this is the next step in the progression.

I think it's fair for publishers to control early reviews. It's their embargo to make. It's obviously not in the consumer's favor but that's their fair call to make. Once a game is publicly released, it's fair game for everyone.

So the real dilemma is not that someone at Gamespot got fired (it sucks though) but how do you fix a broken, corrupt system? Game sites have to make money, and no one is willing to pay for it except advertisers, so of course they can have a site wrapped around their finger.

I think ideally you survive on non video game advertising, but those advertisers are, generally, not going to pay top ad dollar for a non-targeted demographic. I think generally most video game publications deal with dilemma fine, though. It's a dilemma that ideally shouldn't exist, but in reality it's rarely if ever a problem editorially. (There are other more real problems.)

[Yoshi]

Are you fucking kidding me? As a "journalist" you think censorship is fair?

[epmode]

GameSpot, not GameStop in the title...

?

I'll be pretty shocked if it comes out from an undeniable source that he was canned for giving a poor review to an advertiser's game.

Apparently, no one at Gamespot is permitted to comment on the details (aside from confirming that he no longer works for the company) under penalty of termination. This includes the forum mods, lols.

Jeff himself can't talk about it either, due to his severance pay.

[Tommy Tallarico]

Nintendo fan conspiracy for the 8's Gerstmann kept giving their games (that deserved even lower).

Tommy Tallarico